Former Gov. Neil Abercrombie says the race for Honolulu mayor is an important one, especially in the eyes of the sitting governor.

Not only will the mayor lead the lion’s share of Hawaii’s population, but whoever fills that position is key to collective bargaining.

“That’s where the general revenues come into play. That’s where your pension, your health care plans, your combination of city and state transportation, rail, that kind of thing, mass transit, health and safety factors, housing, it all intersects,” explained Abercrombie, “and so it’s very, very important for any sitting governor to have a good working relationship with the mayor of the City and County of Honolulu.”